BASKETBALL

Break from Brogden? Some Wilmington schools cut from holiday tourney

Jackson Fuller StarNews Staff

After a 25-year run, the historical Brogden Holiday Basketball Tournament might never again feature all four Wilmington public high schools.

Earlier this week, the four local athletic directors met to try and determine a location for next year's tournament. They couldn't come to an agreement, and as a result will all compete in separate tournaments over winter break in 2019 and for the foreseeable future.

New Hanover athletic director Keith Moore confirmed this information with the StarNews. However, he also noted the Brogden Tournament will stay alive through the Wildcats.

"(New Hanover) is having the Leon Brogden Tournament at Brodgen Hall and our men's and women's teams will run it," Moore said in a text message Thursday. "We are taking the name back and playing it in Brogden Hall."

According to Hoggard athletic director Kristi Tinnes-Brown, some schools also wanted the opportunity to travel to tournaments outside of Wilmington for other games in their non-conference schedule. There was discussion between all four schools' boys and girls basketball programs.

With New Hanover taking over the tournament, the other three schools have the option to either host their own tournament or travel outside of the city next season. Hoggard head coach Brett Queen said the Vikings would be travelling next year but are hoping to host a boys and girls tournament in 2020.

After leaving UNCW in 2014, the Brogden Tournament rotated between the four schools. The past two tournaments were at Laney and Hoggard, schools with two full-size gymnasiums that make scheduling easier when hosting a boys and girls tournament.

Still, New Hanover wanted to host the tournament inside Brogden Hall every year, while other schools wanted to play the tournament at a school with two gyms. No agreement could be reached and the decision was made to go in a different direction.

-- Reporter Jackson Fuller can be reached at Jackson.Fuller@StarNewsOnline.com.